The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for installing valves and, in particular, to apparatus for connecting and aligning pipe joints used for valve installation.
Installation of valves in fluid lines such as installation of backflow preventer valves in water lines, present problems of positioning components, such as alignment and spacing of pipe joints, which up to now have required significant investment of labor and materials. As seen in FIG. 1, when it is desired to connect, for example, a backflow preventer valve apparatus 10 between an inlet conduit 12 and an outlet conduit 14, a number of pipe joints, such as elbow joints 16a14 16b, pipe components 18a-18b, and second elbow joints 20a-20b may be used. The backflow valve apparatus 10 is configured such that the faces of the inlet and outlet thereto 22a-22b must be substantially parallel and must be spaced apart precisely a first distance 24. In order to achieve this type of installation, the pipe component 16a-16b, 18a-18b, 20a-20b must be configured such that the centerlines of pipe components 18a-18b are a pre-defined distance apart 26 and are substantially parallel to each other. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the relative configuration of pipe components 18a-18b is determined principally by the configuration of elbow joints 16a-16b. Accordingly, in providing for installation of the backflow valve 10, the precise alignment and spacing of elbow joints 16a-16b is important. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, experience indicates, and many building codes require, that the elbow joints 16a-16b must be embedded in concrete pads 28a-28b to absorb forces, particularly forces from high transient water pressure which tends to impact the elbow joint 16a-16b at the outside corner radius 30a-30b thereof. The pressure exerted on the elbow joint 16a-16b is of such a nature that, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the force is in a direction tending to place flange bolts 32a-32b, 34a-34b under sheer or tension stress.
Typically, when installation of a valve such as a backflow preventer valve 10 is desired, the dimension and configuration of the valve 10, e.g. dimension 24, is provided to an installer who travels to the installation site, excavates as necessary, calculates or determines what should be the spacing 26, installs elbow joint 16a-16b with the intention of aligning the elbow joint 16a-16b such that, following installation of components 18a-18b, 20a-20b, the valve 10 will fit precisely between elbow joints 20a-20b. The pads 28a-28b are poured and the excavation is filled in. Thereafter, the backflow preventer valve 10 is installed by connecting 2 elbow joints 20a-20b, and often requiring temporary or permanent installation of jacks 36a-36b to bear the weight of the valve 10.
In one typical installation, the distance 26 is about 63 inches (about 1.6 meters). In measuring across distances of this amount, it is often difficult to position the elbow joint 16a-16b with the precision desired for installation of the valve 10. Mis-positioning or mis-alignment of the elbows 16a-16b, is often discovered only when an attempt is made to install valve 10. It then becomes necessary to cut and install additional spacer pipe and/or to excavate, remove the pads 28a-28b and reposition elbow joints 16a-16b, pipe components 18a-18b, and elbows 20a-20b in an attempt to provide a more accurate positioning. Further, there is a tendency, during installation, for the elbow 16a-16b to roll clockwise or counterclockwise such that the upper flanges 16a-16b are moved out of the co-planer configuration. This procedure of attempting to position the elbow 16a-16b based on measurements is a labor-intensive and costly procedure, particularly when, as is not uncommon, errors are made requiring additional adjustments or reinstallation of elbows.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method for installing valves which permit a precise alignment and positioning of components.